
Black plate (3,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Lighting 6-3
The taillamps, sidemarkers, and
other lamps will not be on. The
instrument panel will not be lit up
either.
When it begins to get dark, the
headlamps will automatically switch
from DRL to the regular headlamps.
The regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside, the
automatic headlamp system will turn
on after the transmission has been
shifted from P (Park) to D (Drive).
The headlamps, taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, roof
marker lamps, and the instrument
panel lights turn on at normal
brightness. The radio lights will
become dimmer when the
headlights are off compared to when
the headlights are on.The vehicle has a light sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel. Do not cover the sensor,
or the system will be on whenever
the ignition is on.
The system can turn on the
headlamps when driving in a
parking garage, through a tunnel or
when there is overcast weather.
This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and nighttime
operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic
headlamp system so that driving
under bridges or bright overhead
street lights does not affect the
system. The DRL and automatic
headlamp system will only be
affected when the light sensor
detects a change in lighting lasting
longer than the delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system will come on immediately.Once the vehicle leaves the garage,
it will take about 1 minute for the
automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light outside.
During that delay, the instrument
panel cluster may not be as bright
as usual. Make sure the instrument
panel brightness control is in the full
bright position. See
Instrument
Panel Illumination Control on
page 6‑5.
Hazard Warning Flashers
|
(Hazard Warning Flasher):
Press this button located on the
instrument panel, to make the front
and rear turn signal lamps flash on
and off. This warns others that you
are having trouble.
Press
|again to turn the
flashers off.
The turn signals do not work while
the hazard warning flashers are on.

Black plate (5,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Lighting 6-5
This button is located on the driver
side of the instrument panel near
the exterior lamp control.
Press to turn the cargo lamps on
and off.
The dome lamps must be on for the
cargo lamps to come on. SeeDome
Lamps on page 6‑5.
If the vehicle is equipped with
Bluetooth
®, turning the instrument
panel illumination control
thumbwheel all the way up will turn
on the cargo lamps.
Interior Lighting
Instrument Panel
Illumination Control
D
(Instrument Panel Lights):
Turn the thumbwheel up or down to
brighten or dim the instrument panel
lights and the radio display. The
instrument panel lights, cluster, and
radio display do not dim to complete
darkness. Turning the thumbwheel
all the way up will turn on the dome
lamps and may also turn on the
cargo lamp, if the vehicle is
equipped with Bluetooth.
The instrument panel light
brightness control will only work if
the headlamps or parking lamps are
on. See Exterior Lamp Controls on
page 6‑1.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps come on when any
door is opened. To manually turn on the dome
lamps, turn the thumbwheel, located
next to the exterior lamps control, all
the way up. The cargo lamps may
come on, if the vehicle is equipped
with Bluetooth. In this position, the
lamps remain on whether a door is
opened or closed.
Reading Lamps
Press the lens on the lamps to turn
each reading lamp on or off.
These lamps will not come on with
the dome lamps.
Dome Lamp Override
The dome lamp override button is
located below the exterior lamps
control.
E(Dome Lamp Override):
Press
this button in to make the dome
lamps remain off when the doors
are open. To return the lamps to
automatic operation, press
Eagain
and return it to the out position.

Black plate (10,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
9-10 Driving and Operating
Off-roading requires a different kind
of alertness from driving on paved
roads and highways. There are no
road signs, posted speed limits,
or signal lights. Use good judgment
about what is safe and what is not.
Driving on Hills
Off-road driving often takes you up,
down, or across a hill. Driving safely
on hills requires good judgment and
an understanding of what the
vehicle can and cannot do. There
are some hills that simply cannot be
driven, no matter how well built the
vehicle.
{WARNING
Many hills are simply too steep
for any vehicle. If you drive up
them, you will stall. If you drive
down them, you cannot control
your speed. If you drive across
them, you will roll over. You could(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
be seriously injured or killed.
If you have any doubt about the
steepness, do not drive the hill.
Approaching a Hill
When you approach a hill, decide if
it is too steep to climb, descend,
or cross. Steepness can be hard to
judge. On a very small hill, for
example, there may be a smooth,
constant incline with only a small
change in elevation where you can
easily see all the way to the top. On
a large hill, the incline may get
steeper as you near the top, but you
might not see this because the crest
of the hill is hidden by bushes,
grass, or shrubs. Consider this as you approach a hill:
.Is there a constant incline,
or does the hill get sharply
steeper in places?
.Is there good traction on the
hillside, or will the surface cause
tire slipping?
.Is there a straight path up or
down the hill so you will not
have to make turning
maneuvers?
.Are there obstructions on the hill
that can block your path, such
as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts?
.What is beyond the hill? Is there
a cliff, an embankment, a
drop-off, a fence? Get out and
walk the hill if you do not know.
It is the smart way to find out.
.Is the hill simply too rough?
Steep hills often have ruts,
gullies, troughs, and exposed
rocks because they are more
susceptible to the effects of
erosion.

Black plate (28,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
9-28 Driving and Operating
B (ACC/ACCESSORY) :This is
the position in which you can
operate the electrical accessories or
items plugged into the accessory
power outlets. On automatic
transmission vehicles, this position
unlocks the ignition. On manual
transmission vehicles, it unlocks the
ignition and steering wheel. Use this
position if the vehicle must be
pushed or towed.
C (ON/RUN): This position can
be used to operate the electrical
accessories and to display some
instrument panel cluster warning
and indicator lights. The switch
stays in this position when the
engine is running. The transmission
is also unlocked in this position on
automatic transmission vehicles.
If you leave the key in the ACC/
ACCESSORY or ON/RUN position
with the engine off, the battery could
be drained. You may not be able to
start your vehicle if the battery is
allowed to drain for an extended
period of time. D (START):
This is the position that
starts the engine. When the engine
starts, release the key. The ignition
switch returns to ON/RUN for
driving.
A warning tone will sound when the
driver door is opened, the ignition is
in ACC/ACCESSORY or LOCK/OFF
and the key is in the ignition.
Starting the Engine
Place the transmission in the
proper gear.
Automatic Transmission
Move the shift lever to P (Park) or
N (Neutral). The engine will not start
in any other position. To restart the
vehicle when it is already moving,
use N (Neutral) only.
Notice: Do not try to shift to
P (Park) if the vehicle is moving.
If you do, you could damage the
transmission. Shift to P (Park)
only when the vehicle is stopped.
Manual Transmission
The shift lever should be in
N (Neutral) and the parking brake
engaged. Hold the clutch pedal
down to the floor and start the
engine. The vehicle will not start if
the clutch pedal is not all the
way down.
Starting Procedure
1. With your foot off the accelerator pedal, turn the ignition key to
START. When the engine starts,
let go of the key. The idle speed
will go down as the engine
warms. Do not race the engine
immediately after starting it.
Operate the engine and
transmission gently to allow the
oil to warm up and lubricate all
moving parts.
The vehicle has a
Computer-Controlled Cranking
System. This feature assists in
starting the engine and protects
components. If the ignition key is
turned to the START position,
and then released when the

Black plate (41,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Driving and Operating 9-41
You might choose four-wheel low if
you were driving off-road in sand,
mud, or deep snow and while
climbing or descending steep hills.
Shifting into Four‐Wheel Low will
turn Traction Control and
StabiliTrak
®off. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 9‑46
and StabiliTrak
®System on
page 9‑47 for more information.
Indicator lights in the buttons show
you which setting you are in. The
indicator lights will come on briefly
when you turn on the ignition and
one will stay on the selected setting.
If the lights do not come on, you
should take the vehicle in for
service. An indicator light will flash
while shifting. It will stay on when
the shift is completed.
If the transfer case does not shift, it
will return to the last chosen setting. Shifting from Two-Wheel High to
Four-Wheel High
Press and release the Four-Wheel
High button. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will
lock automatically.
Shifting from Four-Wheel High to
Two-Wheel High
Press and release the Two-Wheel
High button. This can be done at
any speed, and the front axle will
unlock automatically.
It is normal to hear and feel the
vehicle's transfer case shift into
Four-Wheel High. If you shift with
the vehicle stopped, the indicator
light may still flash slowly. It may be
necessary to shift the transmission
momentarily into R (Reverse) and
D (Drive), for an automatic
transmission, or R (Reverse) and
1 (First) for a manual transmission
to have the light stop flashing.Shifting from Two-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel High to
Four-Wheel Low
To shift from Two-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel High to Four-Wheel
Low, the vehicle must be stopped or
moving less than 5 km/h (3 mph)
with the transmission in N (Neutral)
for an automatic transmission or the
clutch pedal pressed for a manual
transmission. The preferred method
for shifting into Four-Wheel Low is
to have your vehicle moving
1.6 to 3.2 km/h (1 to 2 mph).
Press and release the Four-Wheel
Low button. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel Low indicator light to
stop flashing and stay on before
shifting the transmission into gear or
releasing the clutch pedal.
If the Four-Wheel Low button is
pressed when the vehicle is in gear
and/or moving faster than 5 km/h
(3 mph), the Four-Wheel Low
indicator light will flash for
30 seconds and not complete the
shift.

Black plate (46,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
9-46 Driving and Operating
Ride Control Systems
Traction Control
System (TCS)
The Traction Control System (TCS)
is part of StabiliTrak. TCS limits
wheel slip which is especially useful
in slippery road conditions. The
system operates only if it senses
that any of the wheels are spinning
or beginning to lose traction. When
this happens, TCS applies the
brakes to limit wheel spin and also
reduces engine power. The system
may be heard or felt while it is
working. This is normal and does
not mean there is a problem with
the vehicle.
Notice:If the wheel(s) of one axle
is allowed to spin excessively
while the StabiliTrak
®, ABS, brake
warning lights, and any relevant
DIC messages are displayed, the
transfer case could be damaged.
The repairs would not be covered
by the vehicle warranty. Reduce
engine power and do not spin the wheel(s) excessively while these
lights and messages are
displayed.
TCS can operate on dry roads
under some conditions. When
this happens, the system may be
heard working or a reduction in
acceleration may be noticed. This
is normal and does not mean there
is a problem with the vehicle.
Examples of these conditions
include hard acceleration in a turn,
an abrupt upshift or downshift of the
transmission or driving on rough
roads.
If cruise control is being used when
TCS begins to limit wheel spin, the
cruise control automatically
disengages. The cruise control can
be re-engaged when road
conditions allow. See
Cruise Control
on page 9‑49.
The message TRACTION FAULT
appears in the Driver Information
Center (DIC) when a TCS or
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
problem has been detected and the vehicle needs service. When this
message is on, the system will not
limit wheel spin. Adjust your driving
accordingly. See
Ride Control
System Messages on page 5‑25.
The StabiliTrak/TCS light will flash
on the instrument panel cluster
when the TCS system or StabiliTrak
is both on and activated.
The StabiliTrak/TCS button is
located on the instrument panel.

Black plate (42,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
10-42 Vehicle Care
The trailer brake relay is located on
the bottom side of the battery
harness.Fuses Usage
O2 SNSR Oxygen Sensors,
Air Injection
Reactor (AIR)
Relay
A/C Air Conditioning
Control Head,
Power Seats
A/C
CMPRSR Air Conditioning
Compressor Fuses Usage
ABS Antilock Brake
System (ABS),
ABS Module,
Four‐Wheel Drive,
Gravity Sensor
ABS 1 ABS 1 (ABS Logic)
ABS 2 ABS 2 (ABS Pump)
AUX PWR 1 Accessory Power 1
AUX PWR 2 Accessory Power 2
BCK/UP Back-up Lights
BLWR Climate
Control Fan
CLSTR Cluster
CNSTR
VENT Fuel Canister Vent
Solenoid
CRUISE Cruise Control
Switch, Inside
Rearview Mirror,
Transfer Case
Control Module,
Brake Switch,
Clutch Disable Fuses Usage
DR/LCK Power Door
Locks (If Equipped)
DRL Daylight Running
Lamps
ERLS Mass Air
Flow (MAF)
Sensor, Can Purge
Solenoid, Air
Injector
Reactor (AIR)
Relay
ETC Electronic Throttle
Control (ETC)
FOG/LAMP Fog Lamps
(If Equipped)
FRT
PRK LAMP Front Park/Turn
Lamps, Driver and
Passenger Side
Power Window
Switches Lighting
FRT/AXLE Front Axle Actuator
FSCM Fuel System
Control Module

Black plate (43,1)Chevrolet Colorado Owner Manual - 2011
Vehicle Care 10-43
FusesUsage
BACKUP
LAMP Backup Lamp
HORN Horn
HTD/SEAT Heated Seat (If
Equipped)
IGN Ignition, Clutch
Starter Switch,
Neutral Safety
Back‐Up Switch,
Ignition Coils 1‐5,
Air Conditioning
Relay
INJ Injectors
LT HDLP Driver Side
Headlamp
PCM B Power Control
Module (PCM) B
PCMI Power Control
Module (PCM)
PWR/SEAT Power Seat Circuit
Breaker (If
Equipped) Fuses
Usage
PWR/WNDW Power Windows (If
Equipped)
RDO Radio
REAR
PRK LAMP Rear Parking
Lamp 1, Passenger
Side Taillamp,
License Plate
Lamps
REAR PRK
LAMP2 Driver Side Rear
Taillamp,
Passenger Side
Airbag Indicator
Lighting,
Instrument Panel
Dimming Power
(2WD/4WD switch
lighting)
RT HDLP Passenger Side
Headlamp
RVC Regulated Voltage
Control
S/ROOF Not Used
STOP Stop Lamps Fuses
Usage
STRTR Starter Solenoid
Relay
TBC Truck Body
Controller
TCM Transmission
Control Module
TCCM Transfer Case
Control Module
TRAILER
BRAKE Trailer Brake
TRANS Transmission
Solenoid
TRN/
HAZRD FRT Turn/Hazard/
Courtesy/Cargo
Lamps/Mirrors
TRN/
HAZRD
REAR Rear Turn/Hazard
Lights
VSES/STOP Vehicle Stability
Enhancement
System/Stop
WPR Wiper